A pergola or pavilion can be a delightful inclusion to your luxury Monroe, NY home's outdoor space, offering a sense of fantasy and charm. Functionally, they are a good investment for sheltering your backyard gatherings from the midday sun or a light drizzle, making your BBQs less weather dependent. Permanent outdoor structures such as these can also add value to your home and go a long way in impressing potential buyers and appraisers.

Here are five factors to consider for getting the most out of this stunning option.

Shade for Your Pergola

While pavilions generally incorporate some form of roof structure, pergolas are open structures that designate a space. The cross beams of a pergola do go some way in providing shade, but for blazing summer heat and direct midday sun, you might require more substantial covering. A creeping vine can be trained to drape over the top of a pergola, providing soft, dappled lighting filtered through the greenery. Alternatively, a retractable canopy or shade cloth can be fitted to the structure to provide steady protection from the sun.

A Private Pergola

To turn your pergola into an intimate outdoor room, perfect for afternoon naps or romantic candlelit dinners, be sure to include elements that offer privacy. This can include installing a set of outdoor curtains or netting, or by incorporating spaced slats into the design to form walls. Greenery in the form of hedges, lines of small trees or vines growing up a trellis can also contribute to a snug and private pergola.

Merge a Pergola and Pavilion

If you want the comfort and versatility of a pavilion but don’t want to miss out on the charm of a pergola, or if you need to extend your existing outdoor structure, you might consider combining the two. Ask your landscape professional to create a custom design to merge the open structure of a pergola to the end of a solid roof pavilion for the best of both worlds. This combination provides a choice of ambience and the benefits of a larger outdoor room. A small pergola attached can balance the visual weight of a pavilion and be the cherry on top of a beautiful architectural design.

Add Heating Systems to Your Pavilion

Adding a fireplace to your pavilion can complete its look and provide additional comfort for night-time gatherings. The structure of an outdoor fireplace works well to protect the architecture of a pavilion from the heat of the flames while funneling smoke away from the area to ensure safety and comfort. Overhead heaters are also an option and can fill in the cold spots where the heat from a fireplace won’t reach. Heating is an absolute must if you intend to utilize the space during cool hours of the evening or during the colder months.

Elevate Your Pavilion

To set your pavilion apart from its settings, you might consider giving it some elevation. With a few steps leading up to the platform, a pavilion can offer a better vantage point of the surrounding landscape and provide a distinct attraction for guests. Likewise, a pergola or pavilion can be placed on the upper level of a multi-tiered yard for the best view.